Air monitoring data from 29 stations in the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network was assessed against EU legislative limits and target values for the protection of human health and vegetation

No levels above the EU legislative limit values were recorded at any of the ambient air quality network monitoring sites in Ireland in 2017

Air monitoring data was also compared to the much more stringent World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values and EEA estimated reference level

The tighter World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline values were exceeded at a number of monitoring sites for particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ozone and NO2:

the PM10 24hr guideline was exceeded at 11 monitoring sites

the PM2.5 24hr guideline was exceeded at 9 monitoring sites and the annual guideline at 1 monitoring site

The 2017 dioxin survey shows that concentrations of dioxins and similar pollutants remain at a consistently low level in the Irish environment.

The 2017 data show that burning of solid fuel is the biggest threat to good air quality in Ireland, followed by emissions from vehicle exhausts.

The National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (AAMP) is on track to expand the National Monitoring Network by 16 new stations in 2018, with upgrades to 10 existing stations to real-time particulate monitoring. This will result in more than doubling the number of stations providing accessible real-time air quality information compared to 2017.